9/11 anniversary brings tribute to firefighters

Fire Marshal Luis Valdez of Leon Valley stands by the Tower of the Americas, which he and others climbed, during the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent on Sept. 11, 2012. Participants climbed the Tower of the Americas -- some twice, to equal the height of the 110 floors of the World Trade Center. The event was sponsored by the Family Education Alliance of South Texas.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighter Dawn Solinski and others climb the stairs within the Tower of the Americas during the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent to remember the firefighters that perished on Sept. 11, 2001, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighters pay respects during the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent ceremony to remember the firefighters that perished on Sept. 11, 2001 on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012.

Photo By Billy Calzada/Billy Calzada / Express-News

Firefighter Nick Lawrence ponders the moment after climbing the Tower of the Americas in San Antonio on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, to commemorate New Yourk City firefighters that perished on Sept. 11, 2001.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighter Dawn Solinski catches her breath after climbing the Tower of the Americas during the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Participants climbed the Tower of the Americas -- some twice, to equal the height of the 110 floors of the World Trade Center. The event was sponsored by the Family Education Alliance of South Texas.

Photo By Billy Calzada/Billy Calzada / Express-News

San Antonio firefighters Andrew Billings, left, and John De la Garza look at a memorial with pictures of New York City firefighters that perished on Sept. 12, 2001, during a climb and memorial service at the Tower of the Americas on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighters climb the stairs within the Tower of the Americas during the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent to remember the firefighters that perished on Sept. 11, 2001, and to raise funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Participants climbed the Tower of the Americas -- some twice, to equal the height of the 110 floors of the World Trade Center. The event was sponsored by the Family Education Alliance of South Texas.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

John De la Garza places a flag on fellow firefighter Andrew Billings before the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent to remember New York firefighters that perished on Sept. 11, 2001 and to raise funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Participants climbed the Tower of the Americas -- some twice, to equal the height of the 110 floors of the World Trade Center. The event was sponsored by the Family Education Alliance of South Texas.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

The equipment of a San Antonio firefighter bearing a sticker showing the face of fallen New York City firefighter Carl Asaro rests on the ground during the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent event on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio fireman Andrew Billings wears a sticker bearing the face of Carl F. Asaro, a New York City firefighter that died on Sept. 11, 2001, before the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Participants climbed the Tower of the Americas -- some twice, to equal the height of the 110 floors of the World Trade Center. The event was sponsored by the Family Education Alliance of South Texas.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

Metal salvaged from the World Trade Center after the attack 11 years ago is placed in the stairwell of the Tower of the Americas for the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent to remember the firefighters that perished on Sept. 11, 2001.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighters Nick Lawrence, left, and Dawn Solinski rest after climbing to the top of the Tower of the Americas during the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent to remember the firefighters that perished on Sept. 11, 2001, and to raise funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Participants climbed the Tower of the Americas -- some twice, to equal the height of the 110 floors of the World Trade Center. The event was sponsored by the Family Education Alliance of South Texas.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

A firefighter walks through Hemisfar Park before the 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent to remember the firefighters that perished on Sept. 11, 2001, and to raise funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012.

More Information

Todd Dorris, a volunteer firefighter in Uvalde, remembers pulling his truck to the side of the road to hear radio reports after a second plane struck the World Trade Center.

Eleven years later, he was one of dozens of firefighters who climbed the Tower of the Americas in honor of the 343 firefighters who died on 9/11.

“It's personal for me, to think of the brotherhood of the 343 in New York,” said Dorris, who raised more than $800 to help firefighters at the inaugural 9/11 Patriot Day Tower Ascent.

About 25 San Antonio firefighters climbed the 58-story Tower of the Americas in their full gear early Tuesday. Some went up the 952 steps twice, replicating the 110-story height of the twin towers that fell Sept. 11, 2001.

Fire Chief Charles Hood, who was teaching a course in terrorism response in Alabama that morning, lost a close friend, Ray Downey, a deputy chief who had worked with Hood in response to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

“As you guys climb, take those steps without hesitation,” just as the New York firefighters did that morning, Hood told participants, about 100 of whom climbed the tower.

Organizer Ruth Perez said the event was expected to raise a few thousand dollars for local safety equipment and to aid families of fallen firefighters.

Dallas, Austin, Corpus Christi and about 20 other U.S. cities have similar events held on a weekend near Sept. 11, she said. Perez said she wanted to hold a fundraiser on the anniversary to help people heal.

“Many in the community have grief about 9/11, but they have no outlet,” she said.

Brianna Pradia, 21, who opened the event by singing two verses of the national anthem, said she has a bright outlook, despite memories of 9/11. She said she was grateful to military service members, police and other emergency personnel.

“I'm really excited to be alive in this time,” Pradia said. “I'm blessed to have all those men and women in uniform behind us.”

At another event Tuesday at the San Antonio 9/11 Memorial by New Life Christian Center, Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Chuck Carroll spoke of virtue and vigilance to some 500 people, including students of the center's private school.

He said a 1993 attack on the World Trade Center that killed six and hurt more than 1,000 should have been a red flag.

“Did we forget the cornerstone of freedom and vigilance that we should have known?” he asked.

The memorial, on the U.S. 90 access road by Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, includes a “wall of freedom” representing the Pentagon; parallel ascending and descending walls symbolic of the twin towers; and a 35-foot steel pillar with an eternal flame to symbolize the plane passengers crashed in Shanksville, Pa., foiling a terror attempt.

Bexar County Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz said the attacks have strengthened the resolve of law enforcement personnel to protect citizens and seek justice.

“We were awakened from that beautiful dream of being secure within our own borders,” Ortiz said.

Mayor Julián Castro said San Antonians continue to pray for families grieving a loss on 9/11, and for troops serving to ensure Americans are free to speak, pray and chase their dreams.